Mechanism for shaping a wire cage by stretching



MECHANISM FOR SHAPING A WIRE CAGE BY STRETCHING Filed Feb. 26. 1953 Nov. '26, 1957 E. P. WASHABAUGH 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 BY 6%; 6' air/$- E. P. WASHABAUGH 2,814,326

Nov. 26, 1957 MECHANISM FOR SHAPING A WIRE CAGE BY STRETCHING Filed Fb. 26. 1953 v3 Sheets-Sheet 2 a? as Arrakn/zrs MECHANISM FOR SHAPING A WIRE CAGE .BY STRETCHING Filed Feb-26,1953

Nov. 26, 1957 E. P. \IVASHABAUGH 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 i .W 2 M m 0 MECHANISM FOR SHAPING A WIRE CAGE BY STRETCHING Edward P. Washabaugh, Saginaw, Mich., assignor to American-Marietta Company, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Application February 26, 1953, Serial No. 338,990

6 Claims. (Cl. 15335) This invention relates to improved mechanism for forming an elliptical wire cage of wire mesh and to an improved process therefor.

An object is to provide improved mechanism of the character described designed to form an elliptical wire mesh cage of that character which is commonly used to reinforce concrete pipe. It particularly relates to the formation of a wire mesh cage designed as a reinforcement for concrete pipe of elliptical form in large shape such as employed in the construction of underground sewers, tunnels, or the like.

An object is the provision of suitable mechanism of simple, rugged construction whereby elliptical wire mesh cages may be quickly formed to any desired contour and dimension.

Another object is the provision of mechanism of the character described which is capable of being moved from place to place and set up in any yard so that the wire mesh may be withdrawn from a roll and formed up into elliptical wire mesh cages for use in concrete pipe being molded in such yard. The mechanism is readily transportable. It includes in so far as is possible conventional devices. It is capable of being used by operators such as are available in the concrete industry in the making and handling of concrete pipe.

Other objects, advantages and meritorious features of the invention will appear from the following description, claims and accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective of a roll of wire mesh such as is used in the making of the wire mesh cage;

Fig. 2 is a perspective of a fragment of wire mesh withdrawn from the roll;

Fig. 3 is a schematic illustration of a portion of a device usable in forming a circular wire cage preparatory to forming the elliptical cage;

Fig, 4 is an elevation of one end of a circular wire cage;

Fig. 5 is a perspective of a circular wire mesh cage;

Fig. 6 is a schematic illustration of the carrying out of one step of this invention, namely the shaping of a circular wire cage into an elliptical wire cage;

Fig. 7 is a perspective of a portion of the stationary mandrel and its supporting frame work used in the formation of the elliptical wire cage;

Fig. 8 is a side elevation of the structure shown in Fig. 7 and associated therewith the mechanism supporting the shiftable mandrel for use with the stationary mandrel to form the wire cage into an elliptical shape;

Fig. 9 is a cross section taken on the line 9-9 of Fig. 7 of one of the mandrel elements provided with a supplemental mandrel element disposed thereupon;

Fig. 10 is a side view partly in section of the stationary mandrel and its supporting frame work and illustrating in dotted outline a part of the mechanism which supports the movable mandrel;

Fig. 11 is a front elevation of the lift fork truck which supports the movable mandrel;

* States Patent 0 Fig. 12 is a fragmentary perspective of a part of the support for the fixed mandrel.

In the carrying out of this invention with the mechanism shown and according to the process herein described, wire mesh is withdrawn from a roll such as is indicated in Figure 1 by the numeral 20. This roll may be supported for withdrawal of the mesh in any suitable manner and the mesh may be withdrawn and rolled up into circular form as illustrated schematically in Figure 3. A sec tion of the mesh is shown in Figure 2. It comprises longitudinal wires 21 and cross wires 23 welded or otherwise secured thereto as there illustrated.

Figure 3 shows a length of the wire mesh withdrawn from the roll and passed between a plurality of upper rollers 22 and complementary lower rollers 24. As the mesh is passed between these rollers, it is extruded therebeyond and shaped and rolled over upon a curved apron 26 into a substantially circular shape. The desired length of wire is cut off from the mesh on the roll. The ends of this cut off section are secured together to form a circular Wire mesh cage. The ends may be bent over each other or welded together, or both so that the circular cage formed is a continuous one. Such a cage is shown in Figs. 4 and 5 and indicated by the numeral 28.

This is the first step in the process herein described. The process relates to the formation of the wire cage from the wire mesh on the rails. The claims relating to the mechanism concern themselves only with that portion of the mechanism which has to do with the shaping of a circular wire cage into an elliptical shape. That portion of the mechanism which relates to the shaping of the wire mesh into a circular shape is described in my copending application this day filed, Serial No. 303,365.

The circular wire cage is distorted into an elliptical shape upon a pair of complementary mandrels. These mandrels are here shown as in the form of hollow cylinders. These mandrels are disposed in opposition to one another. The outer opposed surfaces engage the wire mesh of the circular cage.

One mandrel, identified by the numeral 30, is a fixed or stationary mandrel. It is carried by a supporting frame here shown as consisting of a rectangular platform like frame 32, Figs. 7 and 12, which frame is adapted to rest upon the ground or any flat foundation. This frame 32 is here shown as consisting of a pair of longitudinal I-bearns 34 held in spaced apart relationship by a plurality of cross beams 36 and cross plates 33.

At one end of this platform like frame 32 is an upright support 40 for the mandrel 30. This upright support 4GB consists of 'a pair of side plates 42 and 44 held spaced and braced apart by intermediate ribs 46. Each of t ese plates 42 and 44 is shown in Fig. 12 as being a two-ply .plate. is welded thereto. Plate 44 is cut away to rest upon the upper sides of the I-b'ea-ms and is welded thereto and there- 'between. The ribs 46 may be welded in place. The purpose is to provide a strong and rugged upright support to carry the fixed mandrel 30. There is a further reinforcement in the form of a channel member 35 secured to each I-beam 34 within one channel thereof and extending forwardly to the plate 42 as shown in Fig. 7.

This fixed mandrel 30 extends forwardly from the upright support 40 spaced above the plane of the frame 32, as shown particularly in Figs. 7 and 10. The mandrel ext-ends through the support 40, as shown particularly in "Fig. 12. Its rear end rests upon a pair of angle plates 48 which form part of the frame and may be welded thereto as shown in such Figure 12. The mandrel 39 is preferably provided with front and rear rollers 50, as shown in Fig. 9. The rollers 50 may be journaled upon axles 52 carried by cars 54 which ears are bent down Plate 42 overlaps the ends of the *l-beams 34 and.

3 out of the wall of the mandrel, as shown in Fig. 9. Each roller projects upwardly above an outer surface of the mandrel as there shown and as illustrated in Fig. 7.

These rollers are for the purpose of engaging a chan- -nel trackway 56 which extends linearly of a supplemental mandrel '58. Supplemental mandrels can be provided in such number and size 'as desired to form the desired icontour of wire mesh cages. When a supplemental mandrel 58 is to be inserted upon the stationary mandrel 30, the trackway 56 is disposed upon the roller so as to facilitate slidable movement of the supplemental mandrel over the stationary mandrel.

This fixed mandrel 30 carried by its frame work may be transported to any desired yard where concrete pipe is being poured so that wire cages may be formed from a roll of -wire mesh at such place as desired. Cages of large diameter as frequently used are awkward to handle and this method of fabrication of the cages reduces and facilitates the enterprise.

The complementary mandrel, which is the movable one, is indicated by the numeral 60. Such mandrel 60 may be designed as illustrated to complement the mandrel 30 and is here shown as a cylindrical mandrel. These mandrels 60 would of course be provided in different sizes so as to represent complements of the supplemental mandrels 58.

Mechanism is provided to support and move the mandrel 60 relative to the mandrel 30. Such mechanism is 'here shown as in the form of a fork lift truck somewhat modified as to the lift fork structure to support and elevate the mandrel 60 with respect to the mandrel 30. The lift fork truck itself is conventional. It is here generally indicated by the numeral 62. It is shown as provided with dual road wheels 64 of a gauge to straddle the frame 32 which carries the mandrel 30. It is also shown as provided in Fig. 11 with a front axle 66, and an upright lift fork supporting frame 68.

This upright frame 68 is provided at its lower end with bracket elements journaled upon the front axle 66 whereby the upright frame may be swung from and toward an upright position. Power cylinder and piston tilt mechanism 70 is pivoted at one end upon the truck and pivoted at the opposite end upon the upright frame at 72. This piston and cylinder mechanism enables the upright frame to be swung to the position shown at A in Fig. 10, elevating its lower end so that the truck may be driven to straddle over the platform frame 32. When the truck is driven forwardly over the platform frame to the position shown at B in Fig. 10, the upright frame 68 may then be swung toward the vertical position. "In such position the lower end of the upright frame abuts the fixed mandrel supporting frame 40. The foot of such lower end rests upon the I-beams or ribs 34, as shown in Figs. 8 and 11. If desired the rails 34 may be of such width and so spaced apart, or may carry a floor plate, so

. that the truck may be driven directly thereupon instead of straddling thereo-ver.

This upright frame 68 comprises a pair of complementary upright spaced apart channel shaped stanchions 74. They :cornprise that part of the frame which is journaled as hereinabove described upon the front axle 66 of the truck. A vertically movable frame is slidably supported between the stanchions 74. This movable frame comprises a pair of channel shaped standards 76 connected at the top "by a cross member 78 and otherwise braced apart. These standards 76 .are supported within the channel stanchions 74 for slidable linear movement therein. Power mechanism in the form of a cylinder 8t) and a piston 82 is provided to lift this vertically movable frame and to support it at adjusted elevated positions. The piston is shown as connected to the end piece 78 of the movable frame. The cylinder is shown as supported between the fixed frame stanchion-s 74 and secured thereto.

Lift fork means is provided in the form of a carriage consisting of a pair of cross pieces 82 and a pair of lift forks 84. These lift forks are supported upon the cross pieces. The lift forks have forwardly projecting horizontal arms 86. One of these arms 86 is adapted to receive a mandrel 60. The lift fork provided with such mandrel carrying arm is shown as disposed directly above the mandrel 30. The lift fork carriage itself has blocks 83 secured to the rear face of the cross pieces 82. Each block '83 supports two rollers 85 which rollers are disposed within the adjacent channel standards 76 whereby the carriage may be raised and lowered within the standards.

The lift fork carriage is adapted to be raised and lowered by means of sprocket chains 88 connected at 90, as shown in Fig. 11, to the lift fork carriage. The sprocket chain's pass over sprockets 92 journaled upon stub axles 94. These stub axles are carried by the standards 76 of the vertically movable frame. The opposite ends of the sprocket chains 88 extend downwardly and are connected to the stationary upright frame 74. When the vertically movable frame 76 is lifted the chains 88 are caused to travel over the sprockets 92 and the lift fork itself is elevated at substantially twice the speed of the frame 76. This elevating of the lift fork and swinging of the lift fork structure is conventional construction in fork lift trucks.

The mandrel 60, which is shown in Fig. 11 as supported upon one of the lift fork arms 86 directly above the mandrel 30, is adapted to be received within the wire cage 28 as shown in Fig. 8. The lift fork 60 is adapted to be raised so as to stretch the cage along one diameter to an elongate or elliptical shape, as indicated at 28a or 28b in Fig. 6, so as to bring the cage to the desired contour. Normally the cage is stretched to an elliptical dimension greater than that which it will ultimately maintain because there is a certain amount of return of the Wire after the cage is removed from the mandrels. Through the use of supplemental mandrels, cages of different diameter and different contour may be provided as desired.

It has been found desirable to tilt the upright frame 68 to a position slightly short of the vertical at which the mandrel carried thereby will be tilted slightly upwardly at its outer end. When such mandrel is elevated the resistance imposed by the wire cage will put a strain on the mechanism. As a result of this strain, the outer end of the shiftable mandrel 60 will be lowered somewhat so that the cage when distorted to the desired elliptical shape will present equal diameters at opposite ends.

What I claim is:

1. Mechanism for shaping a circular wire cage into an elliptical form comprising a frame provided with an upright support for a mandrel, a mandrel carried by said support to project substantially parallel to the frame, a second frame separate from the first frame removably disposed generally perpendicularly superimposing the first frame and bearing thereupon, a mandrel supporting carriage slidably supported upon the second frame for raising and lowering and provided with a mandrel support projecting horizontally forwardly thereof substantially parallel to the first mandrel and a mandrel removably mounted upon said mandrel support.

2. Mechanism for shaping a circular wire cage into an elliptical form comprising a frame provided with a mandrel at one end projecting forwardly thereof, a second mandrel supporting frame separate from the first mentioned frame removably disposed superimposing the first frame perpendicularly with respect thereto, the lower end of the second frame bearing upon the first frame, a mandrel supporting carriage slidably supported upon the second frame for raising and lowering and provided with a support for a mandrel projecting forwardly of the second frame spaced above the first mandrel.

3. Mechanism for shaping a circular wire cage into an elliptical form comprising a frame provided with a stationary mandrel supported at one end thereupon and projecting horizontally therefrom, wheeled mechanism removably receivable over said first mentioned frame and provided with an upright frame disposed perpendicularly superimposing the first frame, a mandrel mounted upon the upright frame for raising and lowering, said mandrel supported upon the upright frame spaced above and in alignment with the first mentioned mandrel.

4. Mechanism for shaping a circular wire mesh cage into an elliptical form comprising a platform having an upright support at one end, a mandrel mounted at one end upon said support to project horizontally therefrom, Wheeled mechanism removably receivable superimposing the platform and provided with 'an upright supporting frame for a mandrel, said upright supporting frame pivotally supported at its lower end to be swung toward and away from a vertical position, a mandrel carriage mounted upon the upright frame for raising and lowering, a mandrel support mounted upon the carriage to project horizontally therefrom spaced above and substantially parallel to the first mentioned mandrel.

5. Mechanism for shaping a circular wire mesh cage into an elliptical form comprising, a horizontal platform having an upright support at one end, a mandrel mounted at one end upon said support to project horizontally therefrom, wheeled mechanism removeably receivable upon and superposing the platform and provided with an upright supporting frame for a second mandrel, a mandrel carriage mounted upon the upright frame for raising and lowering, a mandrel support mounted on the carriage to project horizontally therefrom spaced above and substantially parallel to the first-mentioned mandrel, a second mandrel removably mounted upon the mandrel support on said mandrel carriage substantially parallel to the first mentioned mandrel.

6. Mechanism for shaping a circular wire mesh cage as defined in claim 5 characterized in that the upright supporting frame is pivotally supported upon the wheeled mechanism for swingable movement to a position at which it is tilted with respect to the vertical and is spaced above the platform and for swingable movement to a second position at which it is perpendicular with respect to the platform and a part of the frame bears down upon the platform.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 748,399 Mitchell Dec. 29, 1903 1,435,679 Young Nov. 14, 1922 1,568,905 Munro Jan. 5, 1926 1,601,681 Corson Sept. 28, 1926 1,908,072 Spang May 9, 1933 1,957,554 Rector May 8, 1934 2,587,975 Darner Mar. 4, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS 368,488 Great Britain Mar. 10, 1932 

